The present disclosure relates generally to an ankle floatation device, and more particularly to a swim training device that maintains a swimmer's legs in a fixed position to focus on the swimmer's core and shoulder training while swimming.
Typically, swimming utilizes an arm stroke and kicking of the legs to propel the swimmer through water. While the arm stroke generally provides the majority of thrust, strong kicking can often compensate for a weak arm stroke. In order to overcome this compensating ability, it is often desired to remove the legs from the stroke to focus on the core and arm muscles to improve the arm stroke. However, one cannot simply stop kicking, as the legs would sink in the water causing an increased amount of drag that would need to be overcome. Additionally, paraplegic swimmers, or others with inabilities to kick their legs sufficiently, would be aided by a device to maintain and float the legs, while allowing them to swim only using the arm stroke.
In order to overcome these problems, various solutions have been introduced. Traditionally, foam pull buoys have been used. These pull buoys are figure-8 shaped devices that are held between the legs of the swimmer, by the swimmer exerting a closing force with their legs onto the pull buoy. This closing exertion, however, can be uncomfortable and tiring for the user and still allows for a certain degree of kicking being performed by the swimmer. Initial attempts to overcome these deficiencies include further tying straps to the swimmer's leg to maintain the pull buoy in position without requiring a closing exertion from the swimmer and to further limit the kicking ability. However, these straps can be cumbersome and difficult to attach and remove. An advance on this technology was described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,000, which discloses a swimming aid training device that includes a buoy assembly that attaches to a swimmer's calf area and a fin assembly to prevent the swimmer from twisting their torso. However, in most swimming strokes, the swimmer's torso rolls from side to side during the arm stroke. This side-to-side roll requires the swimmer to exhibit a great deal of core strength and endurance. If the swimmer lacks the necessary core strength, the swimmer may break form. As such, if one is desiring to increase the strength and proficiency of their core, this device is not ideal. Further, its placement on the calf area does not place the buoyant force at a distal region of the swimmer's legs and, due to the tapering shape of the calf region, requires a difficult to form configuration that tapers from the opening to the exit and is described as a “substantially rotated H-shape”.
As such, there is a need for an improved swim training device that not only allows a swimmer to focus on their arm stroke, but also allows the swimmer to properly work their core, while maintaining their legs in a fixed position with a buoyant force being provided at the ankle region, in an easy to enter and exit configuration, that is further easily and economically manufactured.